Routing networks and methods using dynamic configuration of web services

Abstract

The invention provides in some aspects a routing network comprising one or more nodes, at least one of which executes a process that routes received messages—and/or the digital data packets that make them up—to downstream nodes (i.e., further routing nodes or terminal nodes, within or outside or off the network) based on directives maintained in a routing table or other store (“routing table”) local to or otherwise associated with the receiving node. That node is responsive to interrupts or other notifications received from a control module with which it is in communications coupling for updating those directives with information supplied with that notification or otherwise available in connection therewith. As subsequent messages are received by the node, the process routes them to downstream nodes based on those updated directives.

In view of the foregoing, what is claimed is: 
     
       1. A routing network comprising:
 one or more routing nodes executing on one or more digital data processors, each of a type that include a processor and memory, 
 at least one of the routing nodes executing a process that routes received messages and/or the digital data packets that make them up to downstream nodes, 
 a control module executing on one or more of said digital data processors and in communications coupling with the at least one routing node, 
 where the at least one routing node
 (i) is implemented as a web service, 
 (ii) performs such routing based on directives maintained in a routing table or other store (collectively, “routing table”) local to or otherwise associated with the receiving routing node, 
 (iii) responds to interrupts or other notifications received from the control module by updating those directives with information supplied with that notification or otherwise available in connection therewith, 
 (iv) performs such routing of subsequently received messages and/or the digital data packets that make them up based on those updated directives 
 (v) modifies at least one of a message header and/or downstream node address of the received message and/or the digital data packets that make it up based on information in the routing table in order to effect routing of the received message and/or the digital data packets that make it up to a said downstream node and/or processing of the message thereby. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The routing network of  claim 1 , comprising
 plural said routing nodes,
 where the plural routing nodes execute on multiple digital data processing devices that are coupled for communications. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The routing network of  claim 2 , wherein the multiple digital data processing devices reside behind a common gateway. 
     
     
       4. The routing network of  claim 2 , in which the control module executes on a digital data processing device different from that on which at least one of the routing nodes executes. 
     
     
       5. The routing network of  claim 1 , in which at least one of the web services relies on a service context associated with the process within which that web service executes, which service context initializes at least programming constructs and/or data structures necessary for operation of the respective web service during the lifetime of the process in which it executes. 
     
     
       6. The routing network of  claim 5 , in which the routing table associated with a said routing node is implemented in a context other than the service context of the corresponding web service. 
     
     
       7. The routing network  1 , in which at least one of the routing tables includes code for modifying and/or supplementing message headers and/or downstream node addresses of messages and/or the digital data packets that make them up routed by the routing node with which that routing table is associated. 
     
     
       8. A method of operating a routing network comprising:
 executing a process on at least one routing node of the routing network to route received messages and/or the digital data packets that make them up to downstream nodes, wherein the at least one routing node is implemented as a web service, 
 effecting such routing based on directives maintained in a routing table or other store (collectively, “routing table”) local to or otherwise associated with the receiving node and modifying at least one of a message header and/or downstream node address of the received message and/or the digital data packets that make it up based on information in the routing table in order to effect routing of the received message and/or the digital data packets that make it up to a said downstream node and/or processing of the message thereby, 
 responding to interrupts or other notifications received from a control module for updating those directives with information supplied with that notification or otherwise available in connection therewith, 
 effecting such routing of a subsequently received message and/or the digital data packets that make it up based on those updated directives and modifying at least one of a message header and/or downstream node address of the subsequently received message and/or the digital data packets that make it up based on information in the routing table in order to effect routing of the subsequently received message and/or the digital data packets that make it up to a said downstream node and/or processing of that message thereby. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , comprising executing such process on multiple digital data processing devices that are coupled for communications. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the multiple digital data processing devices reside behind a common gateway. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , comprising executing the control module on a digital data processing device different from that on which at least one of the routing nodes executes. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8  comprising initializing, with a service context associated with the process within which a said web service executes, at least one of programming constructs and/or data structures necessary for operation of the respective web service during the lifetime of the process in which it executes. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , comprising implementing the routing table associated with routing node in a context other than the service context of the corresponding web service.